Centenarian: Maria Gaiardelli

Maria Gaiardelli, born Oct. 18, 1913, in Tres, Italy, is the youngest of eight children. She married Mario Gaiardelli on March 13, 1937. They immigrated to America in 1938 and settled in Brooklyn. Maria enjoyed traveling, cooking, sewing and opera. After Mario retired in 1965, they moved to Maspeth, Queens. Maria was a homemaker and caregiver. She has two sons, Robert and Lawrence, four grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. Maria, widowed in 2001, remained in Maspeth for 10 more years before moving to Fulton Commons Care Center in East Meadow. She celebrated her birthday there with family and friends.